tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post6526175473818970827..comments2023-04-16T04:35:37.153-07:00Comments on Song of the Black Horse: A Student's Notes: Day 56Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250005101735182059noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-61970744938170300862011-03-07T14:38:27.621-08:002011-03-07T14:38:27.621-08:00OMG! I am so tired today and just discovered your ...OMG! I am so tired today and just discovered your blog (via your website which I was so excited to read) so I just want to quickly say - you are pretty much writing my thoughts down for me! AND I'm doubly over-excited to find there is someone else here from Portugal - I thought I was the only one here that thought like this!!!<br /><br />I will be back tomorrow to read more when I am not brain dead tired.<br /><br />Very much love, Sophielearningwithmyhorseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17480966829584530177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-32154225635381279772011-03-06T13:58:32.822-08:002011-03-06T13:58:32.822-08:00Hey everyone, thanks for the comments! Truth told...Hey everyone, thanks for the comments! Truth told, I haven't really thought about the tying so in depth. I just know that Little Love does not like it (it is quite obvious in so many ways), so I don't do it. Simple as that. I want to honor her opinion. There is that freedom of choice element there as well, of course,she can choose to walk away (and sometimes she does, which is really no big deal). If she walks away when I brush her, I stop brushing and we do something else. I may come back to brushing later and see if it works out then, but at least in the moment I stop. Sometimes I ask her to stay. It depends. Like Ian said, it's a healthy happy dialogue! (and Ian, I soak before I walk her, to make her hooves more elastic, this way I'm hoping they would "expand" in the weight bearing and heal her contractions faster) <br />And I agree, cross ties are really against a horse's nature. Or any animals for that matter. It is very controlling to tie someone's head from both sides. And I'm trying to move away from control.<br />Kate - she does ground tie as well, but I don't use that very often. She has stepped on the lead a few times and really freaked out (since again, she hates being restrained in any way and will get defensive...)Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00250005101735182059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-62546857601264822852011-03-06T08:03:51.588-08:002011-03-06T08:03:51.588-08:00I know with our horses, grooming them while untied...I know with our horses, grooming them while untied is the gift. They stay and enjoy it (or tolerate it...!) or they walk away to do something else. It's the choie of the horse. Once you take away all the tack and restraints, all you have left is the truth. Of course sometimes we have to tie them (or hold a lead on them) say for trimming, but they are pretty ok with it. As if they understand that this one time is necessary. Cross ties seem so against the nature of the horse (being a prey animal), that the horse has NO choice, the fear escalates or they become helpless. <br />I love these comments and questions, makes me think about it alot.tmdunphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07418108787916270620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-55812562666432628832011-03-06T01:44:49.591-08:002011-03-06T01:44:49.591-08:00Hi Katariina - just to say you have a reader in th...Hi Katariina - just to say you have a reader in the North of Portugal following along. I don't understand about soaking Lilo's hooves unless they are infected. Re: tying - I groom all our four horses without tying them which means I have to re-create rapport and connection with them on a daily basis - all part of a heathy happy dialogue, isn't it?<br /><br />Every good wish, IanIanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18051997170242407737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-41496157278296057062011-03-05T18:17:29.061-08:002011-03-05T18:17:29.061-08:00Have you tried ground tying with her? That would ...Have you tried ground tying with her? That would allow you to reward her for standing still, while still freeing her to move.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4336485400243362481.post-70865649103041659502011-03-05T16:03:50.408-08:002011-03-05T16:03:50.408-08:00This is so interesting about the tying. I understa...This is so interesting about the tying. I understand what you've said, and I think I get it. You are setting Little Love free now, releasing her from the constraints of her former life. I see how that can be good. At some point, though, you are going to have to help her define her new world, aren't you? I mean, does a horse understand freedom, does a horse understand what to do with freedom? Can a horse link their person to feelings of freedom and build a relationship from there, or do you end up living with a "tame" wild horse?<br /><br />She hated cross ties. Do you know why? And where does that facet of her personality go without that stimulus?<br /><br />Ack. I'm becoming a pest with all the questions. I can't help it, though, because your journey with Little Love has you writing about things like tying. You efforts with her are very active and present, and that's the perfect time to ask questions, I think.Muddy Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937615888562277779noreply@blogger.com